Better Living Through Literature
Words + Projects + Stuff I Like
Doc had yesterday off, so I took it off too and we finally went up to my favorite lake and spent an afternoon there. I’m trying to “throw the comb away” about summer winding down, but that “hurry and do all the things!” feeling is strong, so I’m glad we were able to get to the lake–especially since we’ve talked about it for two years.
Church had a lot of flies in it this week, but it was still a good service:
We’ve had hawks living in the neighborhood for a few years now and this week they’re teaching their two kids how to hunt. There’s a lot of flapping and frustrated scree! (and all the pigeons are hiding) but Mom and Dad will make sure they don’t starve. 
I wish I had gotten a picture of the kids–their legs are still super feathery so it looks like they’re wearing lil hawk pants.
Bluebell meadows, mysterious woods, magical stream banks–it was a good hike yesterday. (Also it was 20 degrees cooler than the valley. I don’t know how people without mountains do it.)
We drove an hour and went on our annual July high mountain hike last Friday–the Lofty Lakes Loop trail in the Uinta Mountains.
Compared to the last two years, there was a lot of snow on the ground (we brought our microspikes and were really glad we did). In some spots the grass wasn’t even green yet and instead of summer wildflowers, there were tiny spring blooms instead.
It was still a great day hike–I love these mountains particularly and the drive up into them is just heartbreakingly beautiful at times. Maybe this is the year we finally go back with a pool float to the largest lake next month…
The clouds we’ve had for the last month finally seem to be clearing and summer is here! Honestly, I haven’t minded the rain since the hillsides are so green–but it will also be nice to get the patio set up and have ice cream outside after dinner.
(Photos from The Terraces area of Millcreek, complete with a wild clematis.)
There were swallows singing and fresh green undergrowth and a blue sky in the canyon yesterday, and it was just like Hopkin’s poem “Spring” (minus the Christian overtones):
…and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;
The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush
The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush
With richness;
It was our first time in a canyon since the end of February (!) and thankfully it’s finally spring up there.
All of that snow is making some pretty impressive runoff! I was happy to see doggos on leashes around the water.
Now that the equinox has passed I guess I can say the “F” word… Fall is coming, whether we like it or not, so read your favorite passage from Cold Mountain and go see the leaves starting to change.
We did a 4th of July hike up in the Uinta mountains last week that I didn’t post about because I was too busy talking about my workouts.* Yesterday we did a normal jaunt up Millcreek Canyon (the upper canyon is open again!) so here’s double the hike pictures for Monday.
From Millcreek yesterday–we got some afternoon rain so there were good cloud shadows:
And from our holiday hike–we did the Lofty Lake Loop trail again with my brother and his family. It was indeed lofty (11,000 feet top elevation) with many lakes:
*Turns out that when you push a heavy sled at the gym, everything else that does not involve pushing a heavy sled gets easier! Including hiking! Also, DID YOU KNOW I GO TO THE GYM NOW?!